'Resident Evil 7' review: A step in the right direction

"Resident Evil" is one of the most well-known horror game series of all time, and the latest game in the series, 'Resident Evil 7,' proves exactly why it is so prolific.

"Resident Evil 7" is the first in its franchise to be a first-person shooter. This title relies more on story telling than action, unlike some of the other titles. The game offers full Virtual Reality mode which plays, for the most part, beautifully. It has everything a "Resident Evil" game should have, and it is very well presented.

The story begins with Ethan, the game's protagonist, looking for his missing wife, Mia. Without giving anything away, this leads you to a mansion owned by a family, “The Bakers”.

"Resident Evil 7" has all the features the series is known for: puzzle solving, conserving weapons and ammo, and limited inventory space. All charming in their own way, these are what make the franchise great. The puzzles aren’t incredibly difficult, but they will leave you walking around a horrifying space for at least a few minutes. While looking around, you will always find resources to help you survive. You will always be rewarded for exploring and going behind the door with a dead animal on it, right?

The game looks beautiful, even though you are mostly in a broken-down mansion that looks like a murder house. Everything is extremely detailed in "Resident Evil 7," from the peeling wallpaper, to the wrinkles of the old woman who stares you down.

Playing in VR runs just as smoothly, albeit not with the great quality of normal play. Some parts may be ruined because you might get scared out of frame and the screen turns black until you fix your positioning. However, this may cause you to miss certain parts of the story.

For a horror game, "Resident Evil 7" is effective because it doesn't use many jump scares. In the gaming community, jump scares are a cheap way to get a thrill rather than being naturally scared by a situation. The game's atmosphere and audio combine to great effect in the Baker mansion. The house is genuinely creepy. And, some enemies will take their time and walk towards you, giving you time to make your own mistake and fall right into their hands. Genuinely being afraid is much better than getting a one-second thrill, as many of today’s horror games offer.

Verdict: 8/10

"Resident Evil 7" is a well-made game with a decent story and images that will be burned into your memory. The game does everything it sets out too. It tells a good story, the enemies are intense and terrifying, and the overall experience is great. The game will leave you wanting more, since the story isn’t that long. "Resident Evil 7"is another great title to start off the new year.